Automatic firearm.



E. e. RBDHELD. AUTOMATIC FIREARM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 31. 1910A e@ NQ i hf 1, Julen UFV l l e. m, l wfmwf Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

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E. E. REDFIBLU AUTOMATIC FIREARM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 31. 1910.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

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E. E. REDFIELD.

` AUTOMATIC FIREARM.

APPLrcATIoN FILED MAY 31, 1910.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

E. E. REDFIELD.

AUTOMATIC FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED 11H31, 1910.

Patented Feb. 14,1911.

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EDWARD E. REDFIELD, or GLENDALE, OREGON.

AUTOMATIC FIREARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 31, 1910.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I EDWARD E. REDFIELD, a citizen ot' the United States, and a resident of Glendale, county of Douglas, State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Firearms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

rlhis invention relates to rearms in which the operations of extracting the empty cartridge shell, after a discharge, of placing'a fresh cartridge in the chamber of the barrel, and of cocking the hammer, are accomplished through the action of the gases upon a movable breech block.

One object of the invent-ion is to make it possible to take down the gun, that is, to separate the barrel from the stock, and to take apart/the extracting, the ejecting and the reloading mechanism, without the use of tools or appliances of any kind, so that the thorough and frequent cleaning of those parts which are particularly subject to the accumulation of burned powder, is rendered easy..

Another object of the inventionis to im prove the construction and operation of those parts which yare directly concerned with the placing of a fresh cartridge in the chamber of the barrel.

Still another object is to improve the ring mechanism in such manner as to make it certain in operation and to prevent the possibility of accidental discharge.

In general, the object of the invention is to make firearms of the class referred to more efiicient, more safe and more satisfactory in operation. l

The invention is shown in the accompanying drawings as applied to a sporting rifle of well known type, the several features of the `invention being embodied in one structure and adapted to copieratey one with another, although it will be understood that some of the features of the invention are capable of being used independently of other' features and in firearms in which such other features may be replaced by equivalent devices otl usual or suitable construction.

In the drawings-Figure l is'a viewdn side elevation of the rifle. Fig. 2 is a' detail view, on a larger scale, in vertical central section, through the forward part of the frame and the rear extremity of the barrel and magazine, showing an empty shell in the chamber of the barrel and the various parts in the positions which they assume at the instant of discharge, dotted lines showing the position of the trigger while it is still subject to the pressure of the trigger' finger. Fig. 3 is an underside view of the parts shown in F ig.2 with the trigger guard removed and some parts broken away. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showingv the parts in 'the extreme positions which they are compelled to assume by the recoil, a tresh cartridge being shown as having moved from the magazine on to the carrier. F1g. 5 is a view, also similar to Fig. 2, but showing the parts in intermediate positions which they assume during the reloading, the fresh cartridge being shown as in line with the barrel and in readiness to be VVpushed into the chamber thereof, while the hammer 1s shown as retained in its cocked position. Fig. 6 is a detail view in transverse section on the plane indicated by the line 6 6 of Fig. 2, locking in the directionV of the arrows. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the hammer in cocked position with the trigger and sear. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the trigger. Fig. 9 is a perspective view ofthe sear removed from the trigger. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the breech-block, partly broken out to show a detail of construction. Fig. l1 is a perspective view of the carrier. Figs. 12 and 13 are detail views showing the relation of the operating rod, for effecting the initial loading operation, and its relation to the breech-block.

In the gun shown in the drawings the stock a, the barrel I), the frame c, the receiver d, the magazine tube e and the fore-end f are constructed and arranged substantially as usual, except so far as hereinafter pointed out.' Thus, the receiver d, to which the barrel L and the magazine tube e are secured as usual, has on its rear face a projection or shoulder d ,which is adapted to be seated in a recess c in the front face of the frame c, while the forwardly extending tang c2 `of the frame, which lies in a slot in the underside of the receiver d, carries at its forward end a thumb screw c3 which is adapted to 'engage the receiver (i, the tang having also a toe or cam like projection c4 to cooperate withan inclined shoulder d* of the receiver d, so that when the screw c3 is turned home, the receiver, with the barrel and magazine tube, will be drawn back so that the rear end of the receiver shall bevpressed firmly against Yeectivebreech-block.

.ment of the notch il? also permitsthe location of the recoil spring directly in rear of the chamber of the barrel,`

and also the most desirable location of the carrier so that the cartridge can be lifted straight and clear from the end of themagazine tube to a position in alinement with the chamber, operatlon of the hand operated rod by which t e initial loading of the gun is eEected.

As shown in F igs.v 12 and,13,the rod it is' pivotally connected to a sleeve h rwhich slides on the magazine e and bears at its rear end directly against the forward eX- tension g of the breech-block. The operating rod L is provided on its upper side with two notches ``t2`and h3 which are adapted to engage, respectively, with a lip h* on the cap f of the fore-end f. The rod L is extended rearwardly beyond its pivot and is provided with a spring lai which presses the forward end of the rod normally toward the barrelso that. one or the other of the notches h2 and k3 shall engage the lip It# Through the engagement of the notch h3 rwith the lip h4 the operating rod is retained in its normal forward position, and through the engagewith the lip Zit the operating rod may be held in its rearward position, .with the parts in they positions repre- 'sented in Fig. 4. inasmuch as when the gun is held in the hands of the user, in tiring position, one finger of the forward hand rests against the forward end of the rod l1, with a slight upward pressure, and the eX- ertion of a downward pressure against the end of the rod is necessarily the result of an act of volition, any yaccidental or unintentional movement of the breech-block is unlikely.

The-.breechblo'clg as will be seen by reference to Figs. 2 and l0, is chambered or slotted vertically, as at g2, in line with the magazine, so as to permit the movement of the fresh cartridge from themagazine rearwardly upon the carrier andthen a movement straight up through the breech-block into alinement with the barrel in front of the rearupper portion g3\ of .the breechblock which itself constitutes the actual and In rear of the slot g2 the breech-block is chambered from its underside and rear end to receive the carrierand is also cl'lambered.v 'in its upper portion and further permits thedirect coside, as at Z3,

g3 to receive the recoil spring z' and the firing pln 7' which supports the recoil "spring z'.

To form an abutment for the recoil spring land also to form a lock which can be removed easily by the lingers to permit the disassembling of the parts for cleaning, repair, etc., there is provided an abutment or lock 7c, which is shown clearly in Figs. 6 and l1, as well as in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. This is formed as a plate, slotted as at la', to permit the tiring pin to move rearwardly and adapted to be seated in a groove @Z2 formed inthe wall of the receiver d, near its rear end. The plate is capable of vertical move` ment within the receiver, therear wall of 'the groove being cut away below the upper part thereof so as to permit the plate to be Withdrawn bodily afterit has been lowered sufficiently in the groove. 0n its rear face the plate lc is formed with'a rearwardly projecting block k2 which, on its loweredge, completes the circle of the rearwardly projecting flange d of the receiver a?, as shown in Fig. 6, and is adapted to enter the lower part of the recess c formed in the front face of the fra-me c, as indicated in Fig. 2, so that when the gun is assembled, as shown in Fig. 2, the abutment c is not only held from downward movement in the receiver eZ, thereby preventing the accidental movement of the abutment, but also bears against the recessed face of the frame c, thereby, providing a solid abutment for the recoil spring. When the gun is taken down, the abutment is still held from accidental downward movement by means to bev referred to hereinafter, but when released it can be pulled down and out thereby permitting the breechblock, with all of the parts carried by it, to be removed for cleaning or repair.

Both to prevent loss of the abutment L and also to afford avconvenient point of support for the carrier Z, which is shown 'in Figs. 2, 4 and 5 and in detail in Fig. 1l, the latter is pivoted to the former, as at Z. The carrier is formed, for the greater 'part of its length, as a vertical flat plate and at its forward end it is formed with a tubular holder Z2 which is adapted to receive the cartridge from the magazine, as shown in Fig. 2. The holder is slotted on its upper and the edges of the slot are provided` at their rear ends with inturned lips Z4. Forward of the" lips Z4 the sides of the holder are cut away, as at Z5. rlfhe edges of the forward portion of the :slot Z3 are at such a distance apart as to permit sage between them of the body of the cartridge but Lnot the rim of the cartridge. The lips Z4 are at such a distance apart as not to permit the passage between them of. the body of the'ait-ridge. The notches Z5, forward of the lipsZ, are so formed as to permit the cartridge, when its rim end has the pasbeen raised above the lips Z4, to be pushed forward into and through the forward portion of the holder. and into the chamber of the barrel. On its underside, near its rear end, the carrier Z is provided with a projection Zs which is beveled off in a vertical plane on its forward end, as at ZT, and is rounded olf on its -rear end, as at Z8. The Vertical flat portion of the carrier Z is adapt,- ed .to move in aiiarrow vertical slot g* (Fig. 3) in the rear lower portion of the breechblock g and/on one of the side walls of the I slotis pivoted to swing in a horizontal plane a. tapered latch g5. A spring g (shown in Fig. l0 and, in dotted lines, in Fig. 3) holds the latch normally in the position shown in Fig. 3. As the breech-block moves rearward from the position shown in Fig. :2 the latch g5 is pressed back into the wall of the breech-block by the beveled face Z7 of the projection Z6, so that the carrier is not lifted from its lowest position in the rearward movement of the breech-block, but when the breech-block moves forward from its rearward position, which is shown in Fig. 4, the latch g5 coacts with the rounded rear end of the projection Z6 and lifts the carrier from the positionl shown in Figs. 2 and 4 to its highest position, as shown in Fig. 5.

In a narrow slot in the underside of the forward end of the carrier Z, that is, n the bottom of the holder Z2, is pivoted an L- shaped booster m,the yhorizontal rearwardly extending arm of which is adapted to cooperate with the cartridge which then lies in the holder while the short, vertically depending arm is adapted, when the carrier is swung from its lowest position, shown in Figs. 2 and 4, to its highest position, shown in Fig.- 5, to coperat-exwith the head of the rearmost cartridge in the magazine or with the end of the spring plunger therein, as the case may be. The pressure against the short, vertically depending arm of the booster causes the rearwardly extending arm to be thrown upward into the position shown in Fig. 5, thereby lifting the rear end of the cartridge, so. that it lines with the b`ore, and, the forward end already having entered the chamber of the barrel, the cartridge is moved forward by the breech-block into the chamber of the barrel in a substantially straight line. By reason of the inwardly inclined edges of the slot Z3 and by the inwardl turned lips Z4 the cartridge which is being introduced from the magazine into the holder is prevented from being pressed' upward bythe next cartridge, thereby preventing jamming b two eartridges entering the carrier an when the cartridge is pushed forward from the holder by the lower edge of the breech-block proper, the rim of the cartridge then resting on the booster m, the rim of thecartridge is lifted as soon as it passes forward of the lips Zt and is then pressed forward through the forward portion of the holder into the chamber of the barrel.

When the breech-block is in its forward position, as .shown in Fig. 2,' the inclined shoulder g7 which forms the rear wall of the wide \openin g2 in the breech-block, overlies the similarly inclined rear end ZJ of the holder Z2 and therefore prevents the forward end of the carrier Z from moving upward. At the same time the holder is supported near its middle by the latch g, as indicated in Fig. 5. Consequently, when the gun is assembled the abutment u, which is pivotally connected with the rear end of the carrier Z, cannot be moved downward, whether the receiver is in position in the frame or out of it. It is therefore through the cooperation of the latch with the cai rier Z that the abutment is then held Asecurcly locked in posit-ion. It cannot be ^moved down, when the gun is taken down,

until, by the operating rod lz, the breechblock g is moved rearwardly far enough to cause the latch g5 to be pushed back into the wall of the breech-block by the beveled forward end of the lug ZG so as to permit the rear end of the carrier with the abutment Z'. to be dropped down.

The extractor and ejector devices, carried 'by the breech-block proper, are substantially of ordinary construction, as shown in Fig. 10, and need not be described herein, it being understood that the empty shell is ejected through the ejector opening` d in the side of the receiver in the usual manner.

The hammer mechanism is shown particularly in Figs. Q4). rl`he hammer n is pivoted in the frame, being entirely inclosed therein except as to the usual thumb piece, and arranged to cooperate with the tiring pin j which extends rearwardly through the abutment c. The hammermv is also arranged to be cocked by the rearward movement of the firing pin with the breech-block y, the firing pin being shown as provided on its underside, near its rear end. with a lug` j to bear against the hammer during the. cockingmovement. The. hammer is provided as usual with a safety notch n. and a fullcock notch n?. The trigger o is pivoted as usual in the frame and the sear p is lpivoted independently of the trigger but preferably on the same pivot pin therewith. The main spring q is shown as a coil spring and cooperates with tlie hammer in the usual manner. The hammer mechanism is so constructed, as will nowfbe described, that when the hammer has been cocked b vthe rearward movement of the breech-block it will be held in cocked position until the pull of the trigger is relaxed, so that the trigger is permitted to move forward, and is then pulled again. The sear j), as shown clearly 'in Fig. 9, is formed with a toe p to engage the -notches n and. n2 of the hammer as usual, and the end 'of the scar spring p2 bears yagainst the underside of the toe p to press the toe toward the hammer. VThe heel p3 of the scar is adapted to be\engaged by the trigger, as hereinafter described, to disengage the toe ofthc sear from the hammer. The trigger o has arlug o to form a bearing for the trigger spring o2 in the usual manner. The sear spring p2 and the trigger spring o2 are 'for convenience formed from one piece of spring metal, although they act independently. -The trigger engages the Sear, not directly, but indirectly through a latch o3 which is pivoted on the trigger, as at o, has a `forward extensi'on'o, is provided with a sear engaging shoulder. 06 and lis acted upon by a spring 97 so Vthat the upper part is normally thrown forward toward thg pivot of the trigger and. the'sear, with the shoulder o6 'in position to engage the heel p3 of the sear. As the hammer reaches its forward position, shown in Fig. 2, the hub of the hammer makes contact with the forward extremity of the latch o3 and throws the latch back so as to disengage the shoulder o from the heel` of the sear. lt will now be understood that when l,the breech-block is moved from its forward posi-y tion, shown in Fi 2, to its rearwa d -position, shown in Fig.v 4, the hammer fn. will thereby be moved to the full-cock position in which it will be held by the engagement of the sear p with the full-cock notch n2. If there is no backward pressure onthe trigger when the hammer is thus moved back to full-cock position, the latch o3 is then in such position that its shoulder 06 willsli under the heel 1,03 of the sear so that a sing e backward pull on the trigger will disengage the sear and release the hammer. lf, how ever, the trigger is held in its rearmost osition when the hammer is cocked, as is llkely to be the case when the gun is operating au-. tomatically, the latch o3 is then held in the posit-ion indicated by dotted lines in 'Fim 2 in which the shoulder 0n stands higher t an., the lower edge of the heel 7) of the scar and does notl engage the heel of the sear. Consequently, if the hammer is cocked while the trigger is pressedy back the sear will nevertheless engage the hammer and hold it in full-cocked position. ln order tol release the hammer it is then necessary to relax the pressure on the trigger and permit, it to move forward until the shoulder o'on the latch o3 drops below the heel p3' of the scar and then to pull thetrigger, in which latter movement the scar will be coupled to the trigger by the latch 03 and will be, diseni gaged from the hammer, permitting the latter to fall.v As already stated, the hub of the hammer, as the latter reaches its forward positiomthrows the latch o3 back and dis- .engages Vthe shoulder 06 from the heel p8 ofthe scar, leavingthe scar in position to engage the hammer when it is cocked again.

It will be obvious that some of the features. of improvement hereinbefore described are capable of use lindependently of the other features and also that various changes in details of construction and arrangement of `parts may be made without departing from an interengaging recess and projection adapted for engagement by straight endwise movement, a tang on one of said parts having a beveled shoulder to coperate with a corresponding shoulder on the other of said parts, and means to draw -said beveled shoulders together to force the frame and receiverv together in a longitudinal direction.

2. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a receiver, the proximate faces of said parts being formed respectively with an interengaging recess and projection adapted for engagement by straight en'dwise movement, a tang on one of said parts having'a beveled shoulder to coperate with a corresponding shoulder on the other of said parts, and a screw carried by said tang and adapted to engage the kother of said parts l to draw Said. beveled shoulders together-to force the frame and the receiver together in a longitudinal direction.

3.n` a firearm, the/combination of a frame having a substantially vertical front face with a recess therein, a receiver having asubstantially vertical rear face with a projection to enter said recess, a tang extended forwardly from the frame and having a beveled shoulderto engage a. corresponding shoulder of the receiverand a screw passing through the tang into the receiver to draw said iii-'arts together. l

It. In a firearm, the `combination of a frame having an abutment for the receiver, a receiver, a barrel, the barrel and the receiver being secured together and removable together from the frame, a; breech-block movable in said receiver and anabutment in rear of the breech-block and cured in the, receiver. y 5. In a lrearm, he combination vof a frame having an abutment for the receiver,

a receiver grooved internally and transversely near its rear end, a barrel, the barrel and the receiver being secured together and removable together from the frame and an abutment plate having its edges engaged Ain the groofv'espf the receiver. f

6. In a firearm, the combination of l,a

frame having-1 a substantially vertical front face with a recess therein, a receiver and an abutment detachably secured in the end of the receiver and projecting rearwardly therefrom to enter the recess in the frame.

prevent removal of the breech-block.

8. In'a firearm, the combination of a frame having an abutment for the receiver, a receiver, a barrel, the barrel and the receiver being secured together and Aremovable together from the frame, a breech-block movable in said receiver, said receiver being open at its end to permit thc' removal ot the breech-block and being formed internall)7 with transverse grooves, a'n abutmentplate adapted to enter said grooves to close the receiver, and means to lock Said abutment plateagainst movement in the grooves. 9. In a firearm,` the combination of a frame having an abutment for the receiver, a. receiver, a barrel, the barrell and thereceiver being secured together and removable together from the frame, a breech-block longitudinally movable in said receiver, a firing pin extended rearwardly from the breechblock and an abutment detachablysecured inv the receiver and slotted to permit the movement of the firing pin therethrough.

10. In a firearm, the combination of a frame having an` abutment for the receiver, a receiver, a barrel, the barrel and the.- receiver being secured together and removable together from the frame, a breech-block movable longitudinally in said receiver, a firing pin 4extended rearwardly from the breech-block, a recoil spring supported by the firing pin and an abutment detachably secured in the receiver to close the end thereof and slotted to permit the movement ofthe tiring pin therethrough.

11. In a firearm, the combination with a receiver, a barrel and a magazine tube, of a breech-block movable longitudinally in the receiver and having a tubular forward extension to telescope the magazine tube, a

Aoperating rod sleeve surrounding the magazine tube forward of lthe breech-block, a catch in fixed relation with the barrel, and a spring-pressed pivotally connected with the sleeve-and notched to. engage the catch.

12. In a firearm, the combination of a receiver, a chambered breech-block movable longitudinally therein, a pivoted cartridge carrier movable within the chambered breech-block and having on itslower side a cam lug, and aA latdh pivoted in the wall of the breech-block and adapted to coperate with the cam lug to lift the carrier during the forward' movement of the breech-block and to be pushed back by the cam lug during the rearward movement of the breech- 13. In a firearm, the combination of a receiver, a chambered breech-block movable longitudinally therein, a pivoted cartridge carrier movable within the breech-block and having on its lower side a lug with a laterally beveled Jforward end and a cam-shaped rear end, and a latch pivoted inthe Wall of the breech-block and adapted to coperate with the cam shaped rear end of the lug to lift the carrier during the forward movement of the breech-bloclrand to be pushed into the Wall of the breech-block by the beveled forward end of the' lug during the rearward movement of the breechblock. 14. In a firearm, the-combination of a receiver, a breech-block movable longitudinally thereina an abutment detachably ysecured in the receiver, a cartridge carrier pivotally connected with the abutment, and means to o erate the carrier during the movement o the breech-block.

15. In a firearm, the combination of a hammer, a trigger, and a spring-pressed latch pivoted on the trigger and adapted to forman operative connection between the trigger and the sear, said latch having. an eX- tension for contact with the hammer, whereby, as the hammer falls, the latch is moved out of engagement with the Sear.

.This specification slgned and witnessed this 26th day of MayA. D. 19 10.

EDWARD E. REDFIELD.

Signed in the presence of- ALBERT F. CROWTHER,

CHARLES R. LovELAND.

chambered a7 5 ibo 

